Dave's Audition
by Fueled By Dr. Pepper
Summary: Dave Karofsky is a tightly wound spring ready to snap.  based on spoilers for the Superbowl episode - do not read if avoiding spoilers  M for Language. Now a five-part story.  5/5 Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: It's long because I use all of the lyrics from "Back To Your Heart" by the Backstreet Boys in the end. (All rights reserved by the respective parties.) The lyrics are in quotations and italicized. Enjoy!

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**Joining glee: the ultimate fag fest. Being in any place that would remind him of Ku – Nancy boy. It couldn't happen. It wouldn't. Dave quit football then and there. It wasn't as much explaining as he thought it would be. Everyone at school knew it was the glee thing that sent him packing and he told his father he could bring his grades back up faster without the distraction.

It was horrible. Dave couldn't go anywhere or do anything without being reminded of . . . everything. The whole school had hopped on the glee-football bandwagon and now that he refused to be a part of it, he was an outcast. He floated everywhere, like a leaf in an unforgiving wind, never really feeling comfortable.

It was the last straw to see that Lady-face had brought that preppy friend of his around again. To meet the parents, no less. What was next, some homo-style wedding? Were they even that serious?

He was determined to ask. He 'ran' into him on the way to the snack stand, making sure their shoulders made contact. When the boy started shouting at him, he forgot he was even there to ask him a question; he just started hurling insults back.

"Get away from me, David Karofsky. Or I will take legal action against you."

That hurt. His full name spilled from his lips with such malice. And shouldn't this little fairy be grateful for the male attention? Wasn't that why he so out and proud – to score dudes? If he liked that numbskull Finn Hudson, why the hell didn't he appreciate Dave?

He walked away, leaving the scene as the über-perfect boyfriend and the rest of the gay Brady Bunch started walking over.

Back in his car, Dave sat there. Dumbfounded at his lack of control. He was spiraling, fast and hard. He drove on into the night, just drifting from place to place until it was time for school.

He muddled through the day, nothing new about it. Afterwards, he should have gone home. He hadn't been there for almost a whole day. But something kept him there. He wandered the halls. When he stopped, he looked to his left. The choir room.

It was empty. They were all probably out celebrating the win. He walked in. It didn't seem that lame. Just an open room with a bunch of instruments on the wall opposite a whole bunch of chairs. He had peeked in a few times, they were always moving around to whatever sissy dance number they had come with that week. He wondered how it felt. It couldn't be as fun as they made it look – the Cheerios stayed with Sue instead of them. He had heard in passing the guys were all let in, they just had to sing one song as an audition.

Dave thought about what might have happened if he put up with it. Surprising as it was, he was okay with being the room while it was empty, how much harder could it be with people?

What song would he have sang for the audition? He wasn't an audiophile, not the recent stuff anyways. His mom played a lot of old stuff while she cleaned or while they were hanging around the house on the weekends: Sinatra, Martin, Davis – he knew the Rat Pack intimately. But in the back recesses of his mind, there were some guilty pleasure songs he knew from spending summer at his cousin's house. One came rushing back and he started singing it out loud before the memories drove him to tears.

"_It's not that I can't live without you. It's just that I don't even want to try. Every night I dream about you, ever since the day we said goodbye._"

It was true. As much as Dave tried to avoid it, the ghost of that boy haunted him every minute of everyday. He didn't know if he liked it or not, but it was all he had ever known.

"_If I wasn't such a fool, right now I'd be holding you._"

This line was more a fruitless wish than anything. Dave knew he couldn't have that kind of relationship with him with all their history.

"_There's nothing I wouldn't do, baby, if I only knew the words to say, the road to take, to find a way back to your heart. What can I do, to get to you and find a way back to your heart?_"

If there really were anything he could do, he'd jump at the opening. But he didn't know that it was possible to get back on the right path; he had strayed so far.

"_I don't know how it got so crazy but I'll do anything to set things right._"

He really couldn't remember how things escalated so quickly. It was hard for him to try and look back and find the point where things went so wrong.

"_'Cuz your love is so amazing, baby; you're the best thing in my life._"

It wasn't true – yet. Dave was sure that they could be larger than life, if it were possible. Part of him knew he would just love to feel it – even just for a moment.

"_Let me prove my love is real and made you feel the way I feel._"

If he could just have that one opportunity, Dave would definitely give all he had to give and more to show his feelings without whatever filter he had been running them through so far.

"_I promise I would give the world if only you would tell me, girl, the words to say, the road to take, to find a way back to your heart. What can I do to get to you and find a way back to your heart?_"

Dave was pleading to the walls, the chairs, and the open space like it was his last chance.

"_Give me one more chance, to give my love to you. 'Cuz no one on this earth loves you like I do. Tell me . . . the words to say, the road to take, to find a way back to your heart. What can I do to get to you and find a way back to your heart?_"

It was the peak of the song and he was bolting it out. He was letting loose everything he had bottled up so tightly inside. And then he let the end words play out softly and smoothly, like how he imagined they should be.

He paused to catch his breath and think about what he was doing. Singing was really refreshing. It felt so freeing to take everything that tore him apart inside and push it out in the song. He started the song; he might as well finish it.

"_I'd turn back time to make you mine and find a way back to your heart. I'd beg and plead, fall to my knees to find a way back to your heart._"

Something moved. Dave heard a noise and whipped his head around. Inexplicably, Kurt was standing there. Dave couldn't tell how much he had heard but he was there long enough to lean on the door and make it hit the wall, disturbing the end of the song.

Neither of them moved. Kurt's face went from utter fear to a nervous smile before he skittered off. Dave could chase after him but the singing had taken some energy out of him. He knew Kurt wouldn't say anything and the look on his face told Dave everything – he had nailed his audition but it still wasn't enough. He took one last look at the room before walking out.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A shout-out to PowerLad who's review prompted the continuation of this story. It will have about four parts. Song lyrics (in quotations and italics) are from 'How Can You Mend a Broken Heart' by the Bee Gees. Rights belong to the respective owners.

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**

Waking up that morning, Dave decided it was time to change. Kurt probably wasn't moping over him, so why should he mope over Kurt? So he got up, got dressed, gathered what he needed and left.

He strode through the halls of McKinley with his head high, his varsity jacket back on, and the single folder clasped tightly in his hand. If he wanted everyone to think he belonged there, he was gonna have to act the part. He walked straight to the locker room and moved among the guys on his way to Beiste's office.

"I want back on the football team."

She scoffed, "We may have won the playoffs, Karofsky, but the season is still over. And you'd still need to join glee club to get back on the field before next year."

"I know. I just need to play – even if it's just practice. And I have my audition piece ready for glee."

Shannon Beiste leaned back in her chair, looking over Dave. She must have sensed his sincerity because she stood up and nodded.

"Then let's go see Mr. Schuester."

It seemed like only seconds later that Dave was on the stage of school while Beiste, Schue and the entire glee club – new football members and all – were seated and waiting. He handed the sheet music to the accompanist and went to stand in the spotlight.

"This is, uh, it's a song called 'How Can You Mend a Broken Heart'."

He nodded and the opening bars played out.

"_I can think of younger days when living for my life was everything a man could want to do. I could never see tomorrow but I was never told about the sorrow._"

Dave's voice faltered a bit under the pressure but he shook his head and let his feelings invade the song, wrapping around the lyrics and filling the melody.

"_And how can you mend a broken heart? How can you stop the rain from falling down? How can you stop the sun from shining? How does the world go round?_"

A few of the girls gasped and some of the football players wolf-whistled, thinking he'd be encouraged by the swooning. He mind blocked them out completely, the only way he could do this using his full potential.

"_How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again._"

Dave's voice boomed with the loud plea in the heart. Schue was taken aback and Beiste chuckled amusedly.

"_I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees and misty memories of days gone by. We could never see tomorrow and no one said a word about the sorrow._"

The small audience was captivated. Dave kept singing; wrestling all his demons out from the dark corners of mind.

"_And how can you mend a broken heart? How can you stop the rain from falling down? How can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go round? _

"_How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again._"

Dave mustered as much as he could to blast out the last chorus, effectively ridding himself of his baggage, if only in his mind.

"_How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again. And let me live again._"

A final request for the people watching him, Dave finished the song with a little flourish and a lightened load on his shoulders. He hopped off the stage and walked to where everyone was seated. Coach Beiste and Schue conferred for a bit before she got up.

"I'll see you at practice, Karofsky."

Dave smiled, "Will do, Coach."

The other members all congratulated him, a majority expressing their astonishment at his hidden talent.

"Well," Rachel spoke up, "it was a little high for your register. But it was nicely transposed so you still carried it well. Adequate job, David."

Finn was a bit more enthusiastic, "Man, you could totally replace Lauren as our twelfth for Regionals."

Lauren shrugged, "Hey if it's less work for me, I'm okay with it."

"Thanks guys, but I'll be okay in the background."

Dave was in no mood to be Kurt's replacement. He was still fighting himself over so many other things about Kurt, adding that one to the list would surely put him in the nuthouse.

Schue clapped his hands together, "Okay everyone be back here after school for a roaring rehearsal. Our new addition has given me some great ideas."

Dave was a model member of the glee club. He even helped a few of the jocks get better at singing clearly. He was looking over the new song after practice when he noticed that the only ones still in the room were him and Finn. A small panic rose in his chest, like a cat with the canary still tweeting from his belly.

"Something wrong, Hudson?"

"It's not gonna bring him back."

Dave looked down, "He told you?"

His mind immediately flashed back. When Kurt said he knew what he was going through and wouldn't tell anyone. Had it been that long since they truly spoke? And had he really earned the pain of having the promise revoked?

Finn shifted closer and lowered his voice as he spoke, "I actually overheard him talking to Blaine that night, after the playoff game."

Dave shifted on feet uneasily, "How much do you know?"

Waiting for the answer, Dave notice they still hadn't used Kurt's name within the conversation. A relief since Dave, although finally able to say it in his mind, was still freshly wounded enough to have trouble saying the actual word. And then he focused on the name that was thrown out: Blaine.

"I knew about the bullying, obviously, but that was the first I heard about a . . . kiss. Plus the song today? A little obvious, even to me."

It was all starting to sound like a big joke. Get the idiot gay jock to come out of the closet and join glee. Make him feel like he belongs and just rip it out from under him. A small voice spoke to Dave, 'Do you really deserve anything more?'

Dave grabbed his bag, itching to leave, "So all that stuff earlier was just bull?"

"No, no. You really are talented, dude. It's . . . just not gonna win him over."

The rage boiled in Dave. He knew. He knew so well that his actions up to today were something he had to make up for. It just wasn't as simple as him being the villain acting on an evil nature.

Dave slammed his bag back down, "You don't think I know that?"

Finn held up his arms in defense, "Okay, okay. Can I just ask a question?"

The fight in him ebbed, Dave was slightly curious what Finn still felt needed to be discussed.

Dave sat down in a chair and sighed, "Shoot, man."

"What were you trying to do at the game?"

Like reliving a horrible nightmare, Dave went back to the foolish attempt at interacting with Kurt. The shame and self-disgust rose in his throat along with the bile.

"I wanted to ask about him and that guy . . . what was his name, Dane? I wanted to know how . . . serious they were. But then he was yelling and next thing I know, I'm yelling. It's messed up."

Finn pulled up a chair next to him, "It's Blaine. They're not serious – at least, not going steady or anything – yet."

The repeated name taunted him. From the emphasis on the last word, Dave got all the information he needed.

"Whatever. I didn't join glee to be more like him. I'm doing this to get over him. I need to change if I'm ever gonna move on."

Finn smiled, "Then don't worry man, we've all got your back. You've got all the help you'll need right here."

Dave nodded and the two boys grabbed their bags and went their separate ways. Dave had a lot of work to do, internally and externally. But some things can't be rebuilt in a day.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: No song in this one. The actual performance will be next update. Oh and please don't hate me.

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**Progress was made. Things were finally stable again. And somehow, Fate felt the need to interrupt.

"Mr. Schue?"

A very out-of-Dalton-uniform Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson were standing just at the door of the glee room.

"What brings you boys here? Come on in."

The glee members looked to each other for answers fruitlessly while the two precariously stepped forward.

"Well, we're here for good. If you'll have us, that is."

"And so the prodigal sons have returned," Rachel quipped, "Kurt, I love you and want you back but Blaine joining us reeks of You-Know-Who St. James part deux."

"Rachel – "

"No, sir," Blaine stepped up, "she has a right to be suspicious, from what Kurt's told me. But it's a bit harder to transfer back to Dalton once you've left. Especially with the tuition and everything. I'm out for good."

She seemed satisfied by the answer while Dave was focused on the intimate body language of the pair as they stood together. Finn patted his back and he threw a smile back at him.

"What about their audition?" a football player in the back asked.

Schue shrugged, "Kurt, we know but Blaine if you could do something quick for us, it's just the way we work."

"No problem," he responded as he made his way to speak with the accompanist.

Blaine sang and everyone paid their due attention except Dave. He was looking at Kurt, trying to gauge the situation. It hurt but he figured it would for a while. Part of him was still jealous of the way the boy was mesmerized by the performance, but it was smaller than it would have been in the earlier days. And there was a new part, growing slowly, that was happy that Kurt found something in Blaine. It gave him hope, that he could one day have something similar.

The claps of the entire group broke him from his train of thought and he joined in.

"I have a great idea, guys," Schue was rubbing his hands together, "your assignment this week will be four part harmonies. Blaine, Kurt, you'll join . . . Puck and Dave for one group . . . "

Dave stopped listening and looked to them for their reactions: Blaine was cordially smiling while Kurt just avoiding looking anywhere near Dave. Puck got up and grabbed Dave by the arm to drag him to the other two.

"So what're we doing?" he asked immediately.

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, shrugged in synchronization, and then chuckled. It was enough to make anyone roll their eyes, but Dave didn't flinch.

"How about 'All I Have To Do Is Dream'?"

Dave was slightly irritated by the slight tease in Puck's suggestion but Kurt seemed the most offended, "No, Puckerman, we need to do something they wouldn't expect of us. Something to challenge us."

Noah continued bickering with Kurt as if the time apart had not changed anything between them. Blaine finally stepped between them, "Dave, do you have any ideas?"

"My dad's favorite band is the Doobie Brothers. They do a lot of four-part stuff. Could that count?"

Blaine snapped his fingers in a rush of brilliance, "Yes! In fact, we could definitely do a great version of 'Long Train Running'."

Kurt hopped on the train, it seemed, "Puck and Blaine, you could work some magic with your guitars to add something new."

"You play guitar?" Dave asked, holding back the 'Can you fly, too?'

Blaine nodded modestly, "Yeah, its kind of part of the Dalton way to get musical instrument training with the choir class. I dabble in a variety of things."

Puck was interested, "Such as?"

"Piano, violin, drums. I've played others but those are the main ones I focused on."

Dave was sure he could hang himself with the scarf off Kurt's neck and he was tempted to do so.

"So you as two guitarists and Kurt and I swaying like trees in the breeze? That's our routine?"

It really didn't sound that malicious in his head but the clenched jaw might have skewered its delivery.

Kurt lashed out, "If you want to stand in one place like a scared child in a school production, by all means, go ahead. I, on the other hand, will figure out something more productive."

Dave started walking off.

"Where are you going?"

"To find something to do besides stand beside you," he sneered over his shoulder.

Finn found him in the locker room, staring at the locker with his jacket in his hands.

"Dude, are you alright?"

Dave looked at him with face that said, 'Do I look alright?' and shook his head.

"I know it's a big surprise to have Kurt back here and it's an even bigger surprise that Schue would think it'd be okay to put you guys in a group but . . ." Finn had forgotten his silver lining.

"At least I didn't hit him? Or kiss him in front of his boyfriend?"

Finn nodded, "Yeah, that stuff. It's gonna be okay. I mean, you guys are practicing at our house so I'll be there to keep the peace."

"That's the plan then?"

Finn leaned on the lockers, "Yeah well, they were talking after you left. Puck will be getting the guitar parts right while Kurt learns some drum stuff from me for the song."

"Which leaves me to . . .?"

" . . . There was talk of you maybe learning the piano part from Blaine."

Dave leaned forward and thumped his head against the hard locker door.

"Can I just jump off the building or something? I can't possibly stand that."

Finn reverted to the only thing he thought would work. He grabbed Dave by the shoulders making them stand in front of each other, face to face.

"Yes, you can. People didn't think the hockey team could eclipse football and you body checked enough people to make it more popular than the NFL. When people said you had no business on the football team, you got on not once but twice. Including abandoning all social order to join glee to go back. You are Dave Karofsky. Warrior."

Finn had mustered all the rousing pep that he had learned from coaches over the years to give the speech. Dave laughed and brushed Finn's arms off.

"That was actually adorable. Thanks man, I needed that."

Finn tilted his head, "Adorable? You are gay."

Dave put him in a chokehold and started giving him a noogie.

In the basement room of the new Hummel-Hudson residence, there were fewer laughs and more sneers. Puck, oblivious, was working on the newly split lead vocals and guitar chords in one corner. Kurt and Finn were going over the beats on the drum set. Kurt seemed highly interested in Blaine hovering over Dave hunching over the keyboard.

"Kurt, just look at my hands for this roll and you'll be good."

Kurt watched it a few times while Finn explained his method. Dave looked up just in time for Kurt to look back with an icy stare when their eyes met.

"Dave, just keep beat with your foot and it'll help with the pacing."

Blaine placed his hand over Dave's to fix the fingering and Dave withdrew his hand quickly.

"Don't touch me, man."

Kurt was across the room in a second, "Don't be rude to him, he's done nothing to you."

Dave shook his head, "This isn't about you, Hummel."

Kurt got closer and Blaine tried to pull him away, "Like hell it isn't! Don't take your issues out on us."

Dave got up and started grabbing his stuff.

"Oh yeah, you seem so tough now, running away like a big tough guy."

Dave turned around and Finn and Puck rushed to hold him.

"Kurt," Finn pleaded, "just leave him alone."

Offended, Kurt flew into a rage, "Oh am I the bully now? That's rich. Dave needs you to protect him from me."

Puck was the only one silent among the noise for a minute.

"Okay, hold up, everyone!"

They all looked at him.

"Either I'm missing something or you've all gone nuts. What is the deal here?"

Finn was still soothingly rubbing Dave's shoulder, while Blaine looked between Dave and Kurt who was shooting daggers with his eyes toward Dave.

"I am just a big gay idiot who will never be half the man Blaine is in Kurt's eyes."

Puck looked at Dave just as he wrestled from the holds of the guys around him. Dave grabbed his things again and walked out.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm back. Hopefully the end won't take as long as this did. I didn't use the full lyrics because I felt it would have dragged too much. Lyrics (italicized and in quotation marks) are from "Long Train Runnin'" by The Doobie Brothers.

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**Dave's fingers just weren't working the way the piano part needed them to. He was clenching his jaw so tightly; he wouldn't be surprised if he started tasting blood soon. And then he heard the footsteps. It was his glee room now too, so if they needed the piano, they could sit their butt down and wait.

"How's it coming along?"

It was not going to be that easy, that was for sure.

"What do you want, Blaine?"

Dave did not turn at all; he merely listened to the sound of the chair being pulled up close to the piano and the boy sitting down on it.

"We need to talk."

Dave looked up, hoping his facial expression was enough to scare him away or at least make him drop the subject.

"That is exactly why we need to talk. Look, I'll be completely honest and all I ask is that you return the favor."

Dave was tired and the least bit vulnerable. He silently agreed and waited for Blaine to start.

"I really do not feel comfortable with you being around Kurt and I."

This was really beginning to seem like a horrible idea to Dave.

"I do think you've made some great progress and I hope one day we can all get past this but it's all just a little too volatile right now. However, we can't really help with how group assignments went. I say after this, we take some time to let things calm down."

Blaine nodded slowly to signal Dave's turn to speak.

"I agree with you on a lot of those points. And I appreciate the honesty. I don't have much to add, except maybe for a few . . . choice opinions."

Blaine chuckled and shrugged, "Go for it. Getting off your chest could probably really help."

"I do like Kurt, that should be obvious by now. I don't know how I feel about you yet. I like the idea of you two being together more than actually having to see you together."

It all seemed to flow so easily from his brain to his lips. Blaine just sat there, absorbing the words like they were any other set of declarative sentences.

"I don't like what I did but I don't feel the need to explain it anymore than anyone else has to explain their mistakes."

Blaine nodded with a slight smirk forming, "I get that. There's one more thing: I want to ask you a question – and again, it'll be a tit-for-tat type thing, you'll get one question for me."

Dave sat up at the piano. It was his chance to ask if Kurt ever told him about Dave singing in the glee room alone.

"Shoot."

"Are you going to stay with glee? I mean, plenty of the football players joined are slowly getting out. You were obligated to join but you're not forced to stay."

That was a no; Kurt must have kept that interaction to himself. Dave struck a few random keys, "In a strange way, you've answered my question. But whatever, it doesn't matter."

He mulled over choosing the right words and swayed his head back and forth in the process.

"I will stay with glee as long as I need to. It's become a way for me to get out what I need to and it's helping. If it stops helping, I'll stop doing it."

Blaine drummed his fingers on the side of the piano.

"Can I ask my question now?"

Blaine smirked, "I thought I answered it."

Dave shrugged, "I thought of another one. Can you help me with the piano part? I promise to be much better about the whole thing, especially the hands-on learning."

Blaine sat up in his seat, "But of course. Show me what you've got and we'll start from there."

Dave looked back down, getting his fingers in position, before looking back up at the sheet music. He went through the piece slowly, still trying to get the right rhythm down. As soon as he was finished, he began rubbing his cramped hands.

"You're doing good, but you need to stretch your hands before you play if you don't wanna cramp up."

Dave laughed a little, "Really? Stretch my hands? I thought this," he demonstrated the cliché two handed knuckle cracks of the movies, "was all I need to do."

Blaine shook his head and laughed as well, "No, actually the best thing to do is ball up your hand into fists, hold it for three seconds, and release. Do that a few times and your muscles will be ready to work."

Dave bit the inside of his cheek and began making his fists.

"Laugh all you want but your hands have muscles just like anything else."

They continued working for a few minutes before calling it a day. The week continued with relative ease. Kurt still hadn't talked to Dave but it was probably better that way. The four students came together to be the first group to perform on the stage. Puck began strumming and when Blaine joined in, the audience whooped and cheered. They were heavily anticipating the four-part harmony and it delivered.

"_Without love, where would you be now? Without lo-oo-oo-ove._"

Kurt and Dave's background rhythms seemed so in sync despite the lack of practicing they did together. The glee club was eating up the song, clapping in time and the few who knew the song singing along.

"_Without love, where would you be now-na-na-now? Without lo-oo-oo-ove._"

Dave didn't even notice the way he was swaying as he was playing. He took a quick glance at Kurt during Blaine and Puck's guitar duet. He was smiling and grooving just like everyone else. Their parts came in again and Dave focused on the music.

"_I got to keep on movin'. Keep on movin'. Won't you keep on movin'? Gonna keep on movin'._"

Dave, Blaine, and Kurt continued playing while Puck sang the end lyrics and began vocalizing. The applause really swelled when they were done and they walked offstage to congratulations all around. The next group was still eager to perform and the meeting moved on.

As Dave began gathering his stuff to go home, Kurt stopped him.

"Can we talk?"

He looked around and sure enough, Finn and Blaine were hanging nearby though well enough out of earshot.

"Sure."

Kurt fiddled with a seam on his sleeve, "I talked with Finn. I'm sorry about not giving you the benefit of the doubt but . . ."

Dave finished for him, "I do still have a lot to apologize for and I was still a jerk to Blaine right off the bat. I've talked with him about it, you can say it."

Kurt's head jerked up, "You have?"

"Yeah. You guys don't tell each other a whole lot, do you?"

Kurt frowned slightly, "What do you mean?"

Dave figured he might be the only one who remembered that first song in the dark room. Kurt might not have kept that from Blaine – he might have just let it slip his memory.

"It's nothing. We can start fresh from here though. Like any two people who happen to be in glee club together."

Dave could hear the slight giddiness in voice but hoped Kurt wouldn't. He knew things couldn't be that way but held on to the last chance. Kurt smiled slightly but then looked back at Blaine and Finn.

"I'll see you around, Dave."

He nodded and watched as Kurt walked away.

"You're becoming one hell of a guy."

Dave turned around to see Puck holding his guitar.

"As good as that Blaine kid?"

Puck plucked a string, "Maybe. Maybe better. Don't sweat it man, most of us here screw up royally on a weekly basis. It's part of being a teenager."

Dave nodded and chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

Puck strummed a chord, "Think not of this as an end, but a beginning."

"Where's that from? That's epic."

"I dunno, I just thought if I said it in a fancy way, it'd sound like a quote."

Dave laughed and finished grabbing his stuff. It wasn't the end. It couldn't be.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry it took so long but this story deserved the right ending and I finally found the right songs to put in. Lyrics, in quotations and italics, are from P!nk's 'Raise your Glass' and Darren Criss's 'Jealousy', respectively. Thank you for all the feedback.

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**

The air was palpable in the small room where everyone was sitting. The last hurdle before Nationals. The scene was a veritable cacophony of interesting sights. Sam was keeping Quinn focused on not having a panic attack, Puck and Finn were fake sparring to get adrenaline going, Kurt and Rachel were doing something oddly similar to the warm up routine of Ryan and Sharpay Evans from High School Musical. A few others were stretching for the dancing while Lauren seemed content to sit in a corner with her Raisinets and watch. Dave was in his own world, carrying over his athletic superstition of undoing and redoing his shoelaces twice and cracking his neck.

"Five minutes."

Being first up was a blessing and a curse. Everyone could stress less knowing it'd all be over soon but the gnawing feeling that they'd be outdone could surface quickly. Finn suddenly appeared in front of Dave, nearly bouncing in place.

"You ready?"

"No."

"Good, honesty is a sign of calmness."

"I am honestly ready to barf."

Puck stood on the coffee table in the center of the room. The group silenced.

"For those about to rock, we salute you."

Everyone laughed and clapped, effectively bonded by the sentiment. When they filed into a line to walk towards the stage, everyone gave someone a reassuring pat on the back or high five. Standing on stage in their boots, khakis, and tanks; they were ready for war.

"_Right, right, turn off the lights. We're gonna lose our minds tonight. What's the deal-io? I love when it's all too much, 5 am turn the radio up. Where's the rock 'n roll?_"

Their rhythmic stomping laid a strong foundation for Mercedes to step up and rock the beginning of the song. At "rock 'n roll", Artie wheeled forward for a small riff on a guitar.

"_Party crasher, penny snatcher. Call me up if you're a gangsta._"

Mercedes made a short but eye-catching cross downstage complete with a wink at the end of the lyric.

"_Don't get fancy, just get dance-y. Why so serious?_"

There was a slight pause before the rest of the performers joined in for the chorus.

"_So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways, all my underdogs. We will never be, never be anything but loud! And nitty gritty, dirty little freaks!_"

The club dispersed at different places on the stage, jumping and swaying in a loose, freed way.

"_Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass! Just come on and come on and raise your glass!_"

The slowly came together. At the second "raise your glass", they each held a fist high in unity and pride. They were a single unit made of unique parts that fit together just right.

By the end of the song, the club had forgotten that there was even an audience as the poured their hearts and souls into their performance. They walked off the stage, confident that whatever result came, they could hold their heads high. They sat in the seats and clapped for the competing teams with respect and good sportsmanship. And when it was announced that they were going on to New York. Well, they rejoiced with grace and congratulated the other clubs on the good show.

"It's party time! LET'S CHARTER A SHIP AND SING 'I'M ON A BOAT' UNTIL MORNING!"

Puck was spinning random people around in excitement. Rachel shifted the trophy from one side of her to the other, glaring at Puck to pause.

"Noah, I am all for celebrating my – our – victory to the fullest but we should think about cutting back and saving for the trip, not spending."

Schue clapped, "Right! Rachel is right. But, I did have something special set up, you guys would have deserved it, even if we hadn't won."

They all piled in the bus, singing random lyrics from their favorite songs for the ultimate mash-up, and drove to the rented hotel conference hall.

"Now guys," Schue prefaced their entrance, "this is not like prom. We'll be out at midnight and no spiking the punch bowl."

Puck scoffed and the rest chuckled. Walking in, it was a modest but still endearing display of balloons, streamers, and banner. There was a good-sized dj station in the corner, where Finn drifted. Most everyone else made way to the food table up against the opposite wall.

"Let's get some tunes going to get this party started!"

Finn had the cliché headphone pressed to one ear as he talked into the mike and pushed a few buttons. The music pulsed through the room and half the glee members abandoned food to get on the dance floor.

"_Come on show 'em what your worth_"

Though Finn was mixing in some good rock drums and guitar, Dave still wasn't persuaded to groove to 'Firework'. He was enjoying seeing everyone happy, even with the pang that surfaced in his chest as he saw Kurt swaying with Blaine. He sat a table and bobbed his head with the music as he ate.

"Not a rug-cutter?"

Tina sat next to him, a small napkin full of Skittles in her hand.

"No. What about you? Shouldn't you and your boyfriend be putting the rest of those kids to shame?"

Tina popped a few candies into her mouth, "I need sugar first to get ready. Besides, although I like dancing, I'm not the Energizer bunny that Mike is."

Dave smiled.

"What's it going to take to get you out on that dance floor?"

Puck was still shimmying with Lauren as he called to Dave.

Dave shook his head, "Being dragged out on the chair I'm sitting on."

Puck stopped dancing and whistled, "Finn, Sam, I'm gonna need some help!"

Dave cracked up. Tina nudged him and whispered, "Buy some time. He will get you out of that chair."

"Okay, Puck, I'll make you a deal, I'll get my groove going once I'm fueled up."

Puck waved off Sam and Finn who had started walking over and pointed at Dave, "I'm holding you up to that, dude."

A few more songs played and before the guys could come and throw him into the crowd, Dave followed Tina to the huddle of people. He mostly just shuffled back and forth while everyone from Brittany to even Blaine tried to engage him in some more advanced moves.

Mercedes started fanning herself, "Necesito agua, anyone else need anything?"

Dave jumped at the opening, "I'll get it for you; I need a break, too."

He grabbed a couple of water bottles and sat next to the girl kicking off her shoes.

"Feet need some fresh air?"

Mercedes cracked open her bottle and took a big gulp, "More like a massage but just getting out of those shoes is a good first step."

Dave turned her chair towards him a bit and patted his lap, "Put 'em up here. I'll give them a rub."

At first she looked at him warily before finally putting her feet in his lap. Within a minute, Mercedes was sighing in contentment.

"White boy, how about you and I get married? I'll watch football and hockey with you while you rub my feet?"

"As awesome as that sounds, I cannot accept the offer. You're not my type and I doubt I'm yours."

"Dave, keep rubbing my feet and I'll adjust my type for you."

He laughed and she began to chuckle as well.

"So who or what exactly is your type?"

Dave tried to keep from glancing to where Kurt and Blaine were dancing but his eyes naturally drifted there.

"No. Way. How is it I always manage to befriend the gay guys of glee?"

"You know, they have a term for that."

Her eyes narrowed, "And if you say it out loud, Imma slap you."

Dave looked again at the happy couple, "I know, I know. And you know, I'm okay with everything. He's in a good relationship and someday, I will be too."

Mercedes giggled, "You so precious, baby."

He shrugged, "You ready for round two?"

"Hell yeah!"

She hopped up and pulled him along until they got back to the group.

Around 11, the music was still going but they had mostly scattered around the room, done with dancing.

Puck had grabbed his guitar and started playing random tunes. Dave was just nursing a coke and humming along.

"You doing okay, Davey boy?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? We just won Regionals. We're going to New York!"

Puck plucked a single string, "You know that's not what I'm talking about."

Dave threw the bottle cap at him, "Lauren, tell your boy to leave me alone."

Lauren, who was lying on the ground nearby, legs resting on the wall, groaned, "Boy, stop whatever you're doing to annoy him and both of you leave me alone."

Puck blew an obnoxious kiss at her and she smiled. He went back to playing.

"You really shouldn't pent up your feelings though. That's what made you a jerk in the old days."

Dave nodded, "Yes, well then I had stuff to keep inside. I'm. Perfectly. Fine."

Puck strummed a dramatic chord and said in a sing-song voice, "Bullshit."

Dave rubbed his face and sighed, "Fine. We'll do this Broadway style – I'll sing one song to get out my 'pent up feelings'. You know "Jealousy"?"

Puck tilted his head and played the opening chords to confirm he had the right song in mind. Dave nodded and started singing.

"_I hate where I'm at, acting crazy like that. I know that I've been wrong, it's something I've been working on._"

Like always, Dave felt that instant lift from his shoulders.

"_And I don't know what to do. It's changing me it's killing you. I'd tear out my insides if I could. But I don't know if it'd do me good._"

His voice rose a bit, getting some attention as he started tapping his foot in beat.

"_I'm sorry friends, I'm sorry lovers, to put us all in this mess. I know we still got each other. But I'm in distress._"

By now, Puck was humming in harmony and Lauren, still on the ground, was clapping in beat.

"'_Cause every time that I feel like I've figured it out, I can't seem to figure it in. It's got nothing to do with me. It's not even you, you see. It's part of my chemistry, it's this jealousy._"

The rest of glee club started making their way over once Finn cut the music, Kurt and Blaine being last in a twist of ironic fate. Everyone mostly sat and listened. A few hummed along but they were mostly paying attention to Dave.

"_And I'm hearing your voice, that you know it's your choice. Maybe so, and I know it's no use. But it's the only excuse that I know, no no._"

Most people hadn't put two and two together, but Kurt was well aware of the message behind the performance.

"_Oh now I can't get it out in the shower or drink it off at the bar. This sugar's gone sour and it's gone way too far._"

Dave was letting it all out, unaware just how much leftover attachment he had.

"_It's got nothing to do with me. It's not even you, you see. It's part of my chemistry. This demon is killing me and oh Christ it's filling me. It's this jealousy, oh, and I just can't believe, in this jealousy, this jealousy for you._"

Dave finished the song and everyone clapped. He made a small bow and chuckled.

"Encore! Encore," someone joked.

Dave laughed, "Nah, I'm all out of steam."

Puck started singing 'Big Poppa' so that Dave could easily evade unnecessary attention. Kurt and Blaine managed to catch his eye and smiled, and he smiled back to show that he was really okay.

At the end of the night, they all piled up for the ride home to start dreaming up their new dreams.


End file.
